Philippines: 6 arrested for suspected illegal gambling in Cebu

Police continue to clamp down on unlicensed Swertres operations.

The Philippines.- Six suspected gamblers have been arrested in Cebu as police continue to fight illegal gambling in Central Visayas. Three people were arrested in the southern city of San Fernando and three in Tabogon, North Cebu.

Officers allege that those arrested were involved in illegal swertres operations without authorisation from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO). ‘Swertres’ is a portmanteau of the words swerte (Filipino for luck) and tres (Spanish for three). To play, people choose three digits from zero to nine. Players must match the winning digits and the order in which they’re drawn.

In October, police in Cebu province carried out 506 raids and arrested 1,147 people in connection with illegal gambling. The PCSO says illegal numbers games in various parts of the province have affected its PCSO’s revenues.

See also: 6 arrested for illegal gambling